


A Winter's Crush

by KelatotheMi



Category: Identity - Fandom, 第五人格 | Identity V (Video Game)
Genre: Aesop Carl | Embalmer/Eli Clark | Seer-centric, Angst, Anxiety, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Drama & Romance, Emotional Manipulation, Love Triangles, M/M, Manipulation, Mental Breakdown, Mind Manipulation, My First Fanfic, Winter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 17,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29828046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelatotheMi/pseuds/KelatotheMi
Summary: A young man arrives to Otelus manor in a cold winter and gets himself trapped in a twisted game, as if that wasn't bad enough he has to deal with his emotions for a special Seer and overcome the difficulties that occur on their way together.-Updating Weekly-This is a back-up due to webtoon buying Wattpad, if the book gets taken down for being too mature I don't want to lose it.
Relationships: Aesop Carl | Embalmer/Eli Clark | Seer
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**~•°.•.°~~~**

It was a cold late winter night and a new _player_ had just arrived to Otelus manor. It was a petite young man who was shivering his way to the entrance of the manor while debating whether he should enter or go back to his home, before he could decide the door suddenly opened and a small hooded man appeared from behind it.

"I've been looking at you standing here for a while now, are you coming in or not? It's cold out here not to mention the time" The hooded man said with a slightly annoyed face.

The other male was shocked and started stressing. He tried to say something but he couldn't let out a sound as he was now getting himself pulled into the manor by the the smaller man who now seemed even more irritated if not pissed off as a low, quiet "forget it" escaped his mouth.

Upon entering the manor the two males found themselves surrounded by people left and right, a few seconds passed of the people starring at the stressed man before a girl with a straw hat ran closer welcoming him "Hi! You must be a new survivor! Welcome to Otelus manor I'm Emma Woods, also known as the gardener. Who are you?" She asked with a warm smile on her face.

The boy was still shivering, not from the cold now but from his growing anxiety which was starting to become visible.

" M-My name i-is Aesop, Aesop Carl" he stuttered quietly with cold sweat running down his neck.

"Well it's nice to meet you Aesop. I'd love to chat with you more but unfortunately it's pretty late and you must be tired" she turned to the man besides Aesop

"Naib, could you lead him to a room he can stay at?"

She asked kindly.

"Nope, too tired to do a tour around the manor, takes too much time I could use resting" he swiftly answered while leaning his body on a wall with his arms crossed "Maybe Eli could?" He continued, turning to another hooded man in a dark blue cloak.

**~•°.•.°~~~**

**Hi there**

**I don't really have much experience with writing but this story is already pre-written on wattpad and gets better later on, this is pretty much a back up in case wattpad decides to take it down but I'll update this every time I normally update on wattpad aka, every week. ^^'**


	2. Chapter 2

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Naib-_

"Maybe Eli could?" He continued turning to another hooded man in a dark blue cloak.

**~•°.•.°~~~**

The boy seemed distracted and kind of spaced out towards Aesop's direction, even though his eyes were covered by a blindfold you could tell he was looking at him like he had never seen anyone like him.  
  
Aesop felt uneasy when he remembered everyone's stares just like this _Eli's_ were glued to him like he was some kind of exotic animal. He couldn't do anything about it he stood there nervously looking down to the floor, hoping for something to save him from all the attention he had at that moment.

"Of course!" Answered the blindfolded man as soon as he snapped out of starring and started walking towards Aesop.

  
  
That made him even more nervous, he didn't know how to react or how to feel about it.

"This way" he continued practically pulling him up the stairs into another room.  
  
"Sorry, you seemed anxious and I just had to get you out of there. Please excuse everyone, it's not often that we have new _players_ " he said smiling kindly.

Aesop kind of shocked thanked him with a nod then asked something that had been bugging him for a while "Soo.. Uh. Eli right? What room did they want me to stay at? I was.. planning to go home right after the game, and well what kind of game is it.. the letter doesn't.. really.. describe it..?"

A little hesitant Eli put on a sad, comforting smile before answering the others questions. "Aesop, I'm really sorry to tell you but. We are trapped here playing a brutal game since the day we arrived. We have tried escaping but the gates wont budge and the fence is too tall to climb while the hunters are chasing us. I'm sorry you have to be stuck here with us"

The silver haired boy didn't have an answer, he was still processing what he had just heard with a blank expression on his face. Eli smiled softly and grabbed his sleeve as in _follow me_ and led him to his new room.

"Here we are, if you need anything my room is just besides the stairs on the left"  
Eli waved a hand walking down the corridor taking his leave.

  
  
Upon entering the room with a key he had just received from Eli, Aesop wasn't surprised to see a small room filled by a desk with a lamb and a chair to accompany it along with some paper and other writing equipment, a closet with a foggy mirror besides it opposite to a relatively small double bed, an empty bedside table with a small bathroom next to it and a large window facing the entrance gate of the manor.   
  
Aesop figured it was past three in the morning at that point so he set his make up box on the desk and took off his jacket leaving it tidily on the chair. He was wearing a shirt underneath so he would feel less cold, although that didn't work that well.  
  
He laid on the bed for about thirty minutes before his mind finally settled down after all that just happened, he was thinking mostly of Eli's words. _We are trapped here playing a brutal game since the day we arrived. We have tried escaping but the gates wont budge and the fence is too tall to climb while the hunters are chasing us. I'm sorry you have to be stuck here with us.  
_

_Was he serious? what did he mean by brutal? and what hunters? I didn't see any wildlife while coming here. Maybe some other kind of hunter?  
_

He thought to himself and drifted off to sleep, he had many questions and there were more to come in the morning.

**~•°.•.°~~~**


	3. Chapter 3

**~•°.•.°~~~  
**

-Aesop-

_Was he serious? what did he mean by brutal? and what hunters? I didn't see any wildlife while coming here. Maybe some other kind of hunter?  
_

He thought to himself and drifted off to sleep, he had many questions and there were more to come in the morning.

**~•°.•.°~~~**

  
It was about half past twelve in the morning when Aesop finally woke up from the sunlight coming through the window.

When he got back to his senses he quickly stood up, tidied the bed and went up to the desk to wear his jacket and get his make up box when he suddenly noticed some pieces of paper with his name written in the headline which he hadn't noticed last night or rather weren't there last night.  
  
Confused he picked them up and started reading.  
  
It talked about what his role in the game would be and what his ability was, he thought it was pretty fitting for him and not too hard although he didn't believe a coffin would rise from his make up box when he opened it, other than that it looked easy enough for him. 

All he had to do was set his coffin find a weird machine to write a code that was written on the papers, stay away from other survivors when decoding and avoid the hunter.   
  
Aesop was still curious about the odd selection of names but tried not to question it, he knew it would be stuck in his head if he started thinking about it more.   
  


He put down the papers back to the desk next to his make up box and stood by the door gathering up enough courage to go back out there and face everyone's stares and whispers. Just the though made him feel uneasy, but he had to get something to eat, he hadn't eaten dinner last night while making his way to the manor and was quite hungry.

Finally, after fifteen minutes he opened the door ready to go out and look for a kitchen or anything edible but to his surprise just as he opened the door that blindfolded man from yesterday was standing on the other side holding his hand up like he was going to knock on the door. 

  
Aesop panicked and almost closed the door to his face.   
  


Before Aesop could do anything else but fail to make sentences Eli spoke

"Hi, I was going to get you to show you around the manor, you also have a match tonight."

  
"Oh, uh, yes- ok" 

There was a moment of awkward silence when Eli took Aesop's hand just like yesterday and led him down the stairs they came from last night. Apparently there was a dining room and a kitchen to the left of the main gate that they were standing at yesterday.

Eli had let go of Aesop's hand only for him to cling onto his cloak like a child _he must be really anxious_ he thought and let it go. He was right, Aesop was dreading the thought of people starring at him none the less talking to him, although Eli wasn't an exception to that he seemed to understand his feelings and didn't seem to mind him trying to hide behind him, though Aesop was embarrassed he preferred looking like a pre schooler than a shaking, wiping puppy when someone tried to talk to him.

  
Soon enough they made it to the kitchen passing through the crowded dining room, the people once again starred at Aesop and whispered, he closed his eyes and sped up his pace, he was now walking in front of Eli who seemed surprised at that sudden act of bravery, or panic.   
  
Aesop opened a door in his way and to his terror it was the kitchen, but some girl with a gun on her waist was there preparing her breakfast, she had her hair up in a ponytail and wore army looking like clothes and boots.  
  
She gave him quick glance and had to look again to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, she soon realized who walked in the kitchen and her expression quickly changed from a frown to a surprised face.

  
  
"Hey you're the new survivor aren't you! nice to meet you I'm Martha Behamfil."

  
  
Aesop just stood there once again, frozen, saying nothing. Martha found it a bit rude but continued her sentence anyway.

  
  
"Ok.. We have a match later along with Naib and Helena, see you then I suppose."

  
  
She finished making her breakfast and waved at Eli as he walked in, Aesop noticed she didn't sound happy or annoyed, it was more like she was giving him a heads up.

  
  
"Met Martha?" asked Eli 

  
  
Aesop just nodded a yes and said nothing watching Eli open a cabinet and place two plates on the counter. 

  
  
"She's not the friendliest person you can find in here but she's not bad ether, if you need advice she is the best person to talk with."

  
  
He said with a smile, and pulled out a pancake mix suggesting whether he should make some for them.  
  
Aesop again nodded in agreement and took a seat in a small table stationed in the middle of the kitchen, he didn't care a lot about making friends before he came to the manor and he certainly didn't start caring about it now.  
  
**~•°.•.°~~~**


	4. Chapter 4

**~•°.•.°~~~**

Aesop again nodded in agreement and took a seat in a small table stationed in the middle of the kitchen, he didn't care a lot about making friends before he came to the manor and he certainly didn't start caring about it now.

**~•°.•.°~~~  
**

Sitting from across the table, Aesop was wondering if Eli could see what he was doing and how he hadn't burnt himself yet, he wore a blindfold after all and it wasn't some light fabric, then there was that random owl on his right shoulder that turned to look at him from time to time. _Why would you have a bird on your shoulder while cooking?_ he thought and leaned on the table resting his head on his hand.

  
  
  
"bored?" asked Eli, not even turning to look at him.   
  
"no, not really, I haven't gotten used to this place is all" He didn't want to say he had a million questions about everything and everyone, it could be rude to ask why that lady had a gun, why he had an owl or about the papers on his desk.  
  
Eli turned to him with two plates of pancakes, set them on the table with some utensils and walked over to a small fridge looking for some syrup or cheese.   
"It's pretty strange isn't it"

"what do you mean?"  
  


"the manor, the letters, everything about this place honestly, the matches being the weirdest of all"  
  
"I guess?. Why are the matches weird?"  
  
Eli turned to look at him just then remembering Aesop hadn't been in one yet "Right. Well its like, tag? but there is no safe spot."

  
  
  
Eli had once again sparked more questions for Aesop to think about without realizing it. He sat in a chair across form Aesop sprout out a "You'll understand later" and started eating his pancakes, he had found syrup but no cheese.   
  
Aesop raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, he didn't receive a reply so he left it at that and started eating. The pancakes weren't bad which earned Eli a questioning look _maybe he can see_ he thought to himself, it was ether that, luck or muscle memory, ok maybe not the third but it was definitely impressive. 

After breakfast Eli went to hung out with Naib leaving Aesop to do whatever he wanted, only that Aesop still didn't know where everything was in the manor.   
  


There weren't many people around anymore, most had gone up stairs, maybe to their rooms or somewhere else. Aesop took that opportunity to explore a bit, Eli had told him Naib would come get him when it was time for their match.  
  
He left the kitchen and found himself back to the main entrance hall, he opened the door to the right and walked down a long hallway until he found a door, he went to open it when he heard a low hum, then footsteps and a sudden sound of glass breaking.   
  
He jumped at the sound and looked around him, it wasn't a window or a vase, the footsteps on the other side became stomps and cursing could be heard, he decided that was enough and he left walking as fast as he could but not running to not look suspicious or strange.

Walking up the stairs Aesop was caught off guard by a hand reaching out to his shoulder, accompanied by an out of breath voice.

  
  
"Where the hell were you?"

  
  
Aesop turned around, once again facing that annoyed looking hooded man with his make up kit in one hand, he was trying to catch his breath, it seemed like he had been running.

  
  
"Don't just stare at me! come on we need to hurry we are already late! you'll explain on the way."

  
  
Naib's annoyance was turning to anger. He started walking back down the stairs but noticed Aesop was just standing on a step without moving like some statue. Naib wasn't good at keeping calm, when he was angry it would show, even right now that he was trying his best to not scare the new guy away yet he looked ready to punch him.   
  
He grabbed him by the shirt aggressively dragging him down the stairs into a room with a dining table in the middle and five wooden chairs. There was a red curtain dividing the room in two, you couldn't see what was on the other side despite the curtains not being completely closed.  
  
Aesop was in shock, he could feel an anxiety attack not too far away, at times like these he would be almost detached from the rest of the world and his thoughts would slowly become louder and louder as his heart would start raising and his body would stiffen.   
  
Naib pushed him in a chair at the dining table and slammed the make up box on the table, Martha and another pink haired girl with a cane were already sitting there, they hadn't said anything at the sight of Naib dragging Aesop by his shirt or him pushing him in a chair and sitting down in another, they only observed.   
  
As Naib went to say something the room suddenly turned dark and colder, Aesop couldn't see anything, not that it bothered him, he was too caught up in his thoughts, the feeling of his neck tightening and his rising heart beat to care.  
  


**~•°.•.°~~~**


	5. Chapter 5

**~•°.•.°~~~**

As Naib went to say something the room suddenly turned dark and colder, Aesop couldn't see anything, not that it bothered him, he was too caught up in his thoughts, the feeling of his neck tightening and his rising heart beat to care.

**~•°.•.°~~~**

The room they were all previously sitting in had vanised along with its furniture and replaced by a beaten up hospital, Aesop found himself in the second floor of the hospital, he could tell because of the surgery tables around him.   
  


He closed his eyes and could somehow see the positions of his teammates, he couldn't care less right now, he started sobbing _I came here only yesterday and I have already pissed people off, what's wrong with me? I always freeze up when someone is near me I am so useless, why, why did I have to take that letter, it was that woman's not mine, I shouldn't have come, they don't want me here anyway, I shouldn't be here, I.. I need to stop being such a loser.._

He kept thinking about those things laying floor feeling useless, he closed his eyes for a bit just then realizing his heart was beating extremely fast although he was feeling a little calmer he opened his eyes again making an effort to stand up and look around. He's heart was somehow radiating a purple glow it was weird and concerning but it didn't hurt.  
  
Aesop remembered about his make up box, he didn't notice he was holding it in his right arm until now. He set it on the ground and opened it, a full size coffin rose out of it with a doll in it.  
  
Too tired from his little break down he didn't question it, he walked down a hall and fell down to the first floor. He was alright although adrenaline from the shock was now pumping through his veins, maybe that would help him look less like a zombie, he looked up to the ceiling there was a hole in it and he assumed he fell from there. 

Getting back to his feet he checked to see if his heart was still glowing. It sure was, even more now and the his heartbeat was louder than ever, he decided to jog down the hall until he found one of those machines the papers were talking about.   
  
Turning from the stairs instead of finding a machine he found a tall, slim man with no facial features in a costume, his left hand looked terrifying, it had long sharp blades planted in it's fingertips. The closer the man got the louder Aesop's heart beat, he had a strong feeling he should run away from the man, when he saw the mans bladed arm go up to swing to him he booked it, he saw a room with a blue wooden pallet at it's entrance and a window near it. 

He had a plan, he was going to drop that pallet if the man tried to get in the room and then get out of the hospital from that window on the wall, he knew if those blades hit him he would have some deep cuts and could die from blood loss, thankfully the blades looked too long for the man to be able to stab anything or else he would be dead in an instant.  
  
Aesop ran into the room, the man was following him, he went to swing his bladed arm to his direction again but Aesop dropped the pallet and it fell on the man, he was trying to push it back to the wall with both his arms, that gave Aesop the perfect chance to run to the window so he slipped out the room and pushed the man in it, the man dropped the pallet as he was going to lose his balance and got trapped in the room.   
  
Aesop had a moment of relief but that soon disappeared when the man was breaking the pallet, he didn't waste more time looking at the man and jumped out the window continuing to run to the direction in front of him for who knows how much time, he wasn't breathing properly and needed to stop and take a brake to catch his breath, the man was still following him but it looked like he had lost him.   
  
_What the hell?! Why is that guy after me?! Does he want to kill me?  
_

Those were Aesop's first thoughts, he then remembered the odd naming of the players and Eli's words, survivors and hunters.   
  
_Oh.. that's what it's about.. Hunters, so that guy is hunting the survivors down and from the looks of it, he isn't hunting as in just catching us like in tag. What the hell is this game.._

 _Eli_. All Aesop wanted right now was to go back to the kitchen when he was observing Eli make pancakes, that was way less stressing.

His heart was beating loudly again he looked behind him and was faced with the man in the suit, his arm was raised ready to swing onto the silver haired boy.  
  


**~•°.•.°~~~**


	6. Chapter 6

**~•°.•.°~~~**

-Aesop-

His heart was beating loudly again he looked behind him and was faced with the man in the suit, his arm was raised ready to swing ont the silver hairded boy.

**~•°.•.°~~~**

Thankfully Aesop turned the other way and put his arms above his neck and head selthering them form instinct. The blades struck on his side in a quick motion, the pain was unbearable even with all the adrenaline and the shock.   
  
Aesop not being able to stand the pain for too long clenched on the back of his head, then to his side trying to stop the bleeding, it wasn't as deep as he thought it would be but it was still bad and needed stitches, right now he shouldn't move a lot like he was before but the hunter was charging for a second hit. Aesop gathered up all of his strength to stand up and clumsily run away from there, the adrenaline gave him a small speed boost for a little the man in the suit was faster though and he soon caught up.  
  
Another swing was arriving, Aesop wouldn't be able to avoid it, he was too close to avoid it.  
Just some seconds before it was going to hit him someone yelled to him to duck and then a gunshot silenced everything.  
  
 _A gunshot?. who?  
_

Before Aesop could think anything else a female voice yelled at him to get up and run to an exit, in shock he looked behind him before doing as he was told and saw Martha. It made sense, kind of, he now knew why she had a gun but more questions sprout on his way trying to find an exit. He was pretty much running besides a wall, he didn't know where the exit was so that seemed like a reasonable thing to do. Soon enough he could see Naib in the distance yelling "The exit gate is open!" it looked like he was making sure everyone could escape.  
  
Aesop felt more and more uncomfortable while approaching him, he made him angry twice, he didn't want to be yelled at again or to upset anyone.   
  
Naib turned and saw Aesop standing awkwardly next to him, he shot a smile to him, he was surprised by how he was still ok after distracting the hunter for so long, it was hard even for the best of kiters and it was just his first game.

  
  
  
"You did an amazing job out there! congrats!"

  
  


Aesop was surprised Naib wasn't yelling at him with anger.

  
  
  
"Wha..t?"  
  
"No joke you did really good, we should celebrate your first match when we get back. After we do something about that." He said and pointed to Aesop's side, he was still clenching onto it with his left arm.  
  
"I- I'll pass on the celebrating, I'm.. not really a people person."

"No problem just wait until we get back" continued Naib while smirking not giving up on his idea and went back to yelling.

  
After a few minutes everyone arrived at the exit and they all made their way back to the manor.

Aesop was still couldn't walk straight and tried to stay behind everyone but they were talking about his kiting and how he did a good job for his first match occasionally asking him questions and making him talk.  


After what felt like hours they were back, Aesop couldn't be more happy to see that old building that would save him from socializing with his teammates, His pace got faster as he tried to get to his room faster, the others were talking about something he didn't care much about so he left them at that and opened the entrance to be met with a doctor and Eli waiting seated on the stairs.  
  
 _Crap, how do I avoid these two?  
_

Although the doctor could help with his wound he wanted to have a break from the chit-chatting he had to endure until now. Aesop stood there for a moment catching their attention making them stand up to run over to him with worried expressions.

Aesop instead of walking towards them looked up to the stairs and marched his way to his room avoiding everyone on his way, somehow some knew what he had done while others just knew him as the new survivor, finally, he made it to his room and went in slowly closing the door behind him and locking it, he collapsed head first into his bed. 

  
  
  
"I thought I'd never make it back, I don't know what was more exhausting, the running? or the talking?"

  
  


He muttered to himself in the silent room, it was dark and a bit cold but he liked it, he liked the silence, however, as quickly as it came it left, someone was knocking on the door. 

  
  
  
"Aesop come out we need to treat your wound!" 

  
  
  
It was a male voice, a low one but soothing and warming, it made it more bearable to listen to, it was Eli. Aesop could hear him loud and clear but didn't answer him or open the door for him. Eli kept yelling and eventually stopped and sat outside his room waiting for Aesop to open the door.  
  
After about forty minutes Aesop noticed it was quiet and decided it was time he did something about his wound which had stopped bleeding that much. He sat up facing the door, he was sure someone was waiting on the other side, _at least that someone isn't that annoying_ he thought to himself.  
  
He stood up to open the door when he heard a strange scratching noise like nails hitting against something that caught him off guard, widening his eyes it woke him instantly up.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**


	7. Chapter 7

**~•°.•.°~~~**

-Aesop-

He stood up to open the door when he heard a strange scratching noise like nails hitting against something that caught him off guard, widening his eyes a little it woke him instantly up.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**

He froze and the sound stopped. 

  
  
"Are you coming out?" 

  
  
Eli spoke out of no where behind the door, he hadn't talked for a long time to the point Aesop thought he had fallen asleep on his door. What bothered him more was that noise, what was it where did it come from.  
  
It started again, Aesop this time turned his head to find the source, he turned to his closet, then to the mirror besides it, there was no one there so it must have been something, he wasn't sure what to expect now but he went closer to his mirror to check behind it, as he thought there was nothing there.  
  
He then looked inside the closet, it wasn't empty like last night, it now had some T-shirts and some clothes that looked like what he was wearing but were blue and had stars all over, but nothing that could have made noise. Aesop once again caught off guard he jumped like a cat at the touch of something landing on his left shoulder, a bird, an owl to be specific. It groomed it's wing puffing its feathers out a little and then looked straight to Aesop with its one eye.  
  
Aesop had seen it before, that bird surely belonged to the guy outside that door, he let out a sigh of relief, though it was farfetched now that we was thinking clearly but he thought it might have been that hunter from the game. He headed to the door again, unlocked it and opened it there he met a guy, same height as Eli, same structure, same clothes but there was a difference, this guy had eyes as blue as the ocean and sparkling like stars, it was a beautiful jaw-dropping sight Aesop could be looking at all day, he didn't move a muscle even when the owl hopped onto the other persons shoulder. 

  
  
  
"I-I'm sorry, who are. you?"

  
  
  
Aesop thought Eli might have a twin or something this guy was stunning, yet the Eli he got to know always wore a blindfold and never looked kept eye contact for long, this was different.  
  


"What do you mean? I'm Eli. More importantly we should get you to the infirmary you're still bleeding" 

  
  
  
Eli's signature move of grabbing Aesop hand and leading the way was once again put to use. Speaking of Aesop he still hadn't gotten over the fact that that was Eli without a blindfold, he looked so much different in a good he looked good even with the blindfold on so this shouldn't have been such a surprise.   
  
They reached the infirmary and Eli went to the back looking for someone, finally Aesop snapped back to reality and regained his ability to talk although still tired from his break down earlier in the match he needed to get stitched up before the wound got infected or he bled to death he was already looking a bit more place than usual.  
  


Eli returned with a girl in a doctor uniform who introduced herself as Emily Dyer, then went on after making him take his shirt off and checking the wound about what she would do to it before giving him an anesthetic and starting to stitch his side, he didn't need to be completely asleep.  
  
He was told to lay on a surgical table and everything went just as the doctor had said, she cleaned the area with an antiseptic while the anesthetic was kicking in, Emily was doing something to make the bleeding stop but Aesop couldn't look they had set up a curtain to prevent him from looking at what was happening because it might stress him out, right now they wanted him to be calm.  
  


Aesop couldn't tell what Emily was doing all he did was stare at the ceiling when he caught Eli taking a seat to the wall to his left from the corner of his eye, he still wasn't wearing his blindfold and his owl was away, he redirected his gaze from the ceiling to the wall Eli was at he couldn't think of anything, it must have been because of his current state but when he looked into the man's eyes again it still reminded him of the ocean, it was hard to imagine why someone with such stunning eyes would hide them. He had to ask him after this.  
  
Some hours later Emily was done stitching and Aesop got back to his senses, for the most part anyway.

  
  
  
"You can go now, be sure to take it easy or it might open again. Eli could you please help him back to his room? I need to clean up over here"  
  


  
  


"Sure!" Said Eli happily, _why is he so cheery right now?_ thought Aesop while sitting up, Eli came over and helped him stand, he swang Aesop's arm over his shoulder and put his own hand on his back to help stabilize him a little more, he was still not able to walk in a straight line.   
  
They went up the stairs thankfully they hadn't fallen down, Eli took Aesop to his room and opened the door to set him on his bed and leave right after making sure he was alright, to his surprise that was not what Aesop was not planning to sleep just yet.

**~•°.•.°~~~**


	8. Chapter 8

**~•°.•.°~~~**

They went up the stairs thankfully they hadn't fallen down, Eli took Aesop to his room and opened the door to set him on his bed and leave right after making sure he was alright, to his surprise that was not what Aesop was not planning to sleep just yet.

**~•°.•.°~~~  
**

**..** **•~** **Aesop POV** **~•..**

_It hurts, the stitches hurt.. it's cold but my shirt is back down there. Could I go get it? I can't walk.._ I was ready to give upon getting a shirt when I suddendly remembered when I looked earlier in the closet maybe I could ask him to get me a shirt. It was ether that or freezing through the night. 

Eli helped me get on my bed trying to not touch anywhere near the stitches and then straightened his back, he turned to face the door, was he leaving? _it's now or never._ I grabbed the back of his cloak and maybe I might have pulled a little to hard when he fell on the bed. 

  
  
  
"Uuh sorry.."

  
"It's okay, do you need something?"  
  


"Could you gice me a shirt from the closet, please?.."  
  


Even though I made it awkward by making him fall he still smiled kindly and walked over to the closet, he presented me a black shirt and that childish blue shirt with stars. The kind smile he had turned into a grin.

  
  


"The black one is fine"

  
  
  
Instead of giving me any shirt he stood there with his grin thing about something.  
  


"Eli?"   
  
  


He didn't answer but he turned back to the closet and put back the black shirt still holding on to the blue one with the stars, he came closer. I sat up _Is he really going to make me wear that?_

"This one looks good don't you think?" He widened his grin.  
  
"The black one is better"   
  
"Come on it's not that bad, hold your hands up"

  
  
  
A slightly annoyed expression took over my face, I wasn't really angry but that whoever put that shirt in the closet had to reconsider their taste in clothes.

  
  
  
"I'm not wearing that"

  
  
  
Ignoring what I just said Eli took my hands anyway holding them up so he could easily slide the shirt down, only that whenever he tried to put that thing on me I'd move my hands behind my back. After 10 minutes of me not cooperating he took a hold of my arms again holding them up only this time he didn't let go, I looked up in surprise and he's eyes caught mine, he's eyes were even more beautiful in the moonlight, they were a deeper blue with so many details and sparkled like pearls, he took the opportunity to put the shirt on me while I was lost in his eyes then backed away, I snapped back to reality looking at what I was wearing and my face reddened in embarrassment. 

I snapped my gaze back at him, he was looking at me holding back his laughter. Turns out he wasn't good at that when in a few seconds he started laughing, his laughter was contagious, so much that it made me chuckle too. 

  
  


"See? its not that bad it looks cute" his laugh turned into a chuckle and he came to sit on the bed  
  
"I look like a five year old" 

  
  
  
Still chuckling he reached out his hand behind my head and snatched my hair tie letting my hair fall down, my mother used to tie my hair because of our status everyday I kept tying it up even after she passed, it just felt right.

  
  
  
"You probably don't need that to sleep"  
  
"Actually, I'm not tired anymore"

  
  
  
It was true, after messing around for the first time in years I was fully awake, was that what it was like to have friends? I wouldn't know.

  
  
  
"Want me to read you a bedtime story then" 

  
  
  
We both laughed then I realized it must have been pretty late. Was I wasting his time? that question surprisingly didn't make an appearance earlier tonight, it's strange.

  
  
  
"How about I answer your questions then?"

  
  
  
Eli laid back on the bed and his hood fell off making his eyes more sparkly and his hair fly everywhere, it looked like the messy but perfect hairstyle. Why was I even thinking of that? I got back to his question, I did have many questions about the manor and the people, would it really be ok if I asked away?

  
  


"Can I?"  
  
"Why wouldn't you? ask anything you want" 

  
  
  
His smile was reassuring, I looked back at the closet and remembered about that owl _maybe this is my chance to ask about that. And about why we can't leave._ Most of my questions had been answered in the match but I still had some.  
  
  
  
"Where is your owl?"  
  
"Brooke Rose? I let her fly around the manor when we went down to the infirmary, Emily doesn't want animals around when she has patients"  
  
"Makes sense, why was she in my room earlier?"

  
  
  
He seemed a little uneasy about answering this one but he went on.

  
  
  
"I commanded her to follow you while you were running up stairs, she managed to get in while you were closing the door."  
  
"Oh.."

  
  
  
I had never heard of an owl obeying orders, he must have trained her since she was little.

  
  
  
"Speaking of the door, why did you wait outside instead of leaving? wouldn't that be easier?"  
  
"Probably. I guess it's because I thought you wouldn't ask for help."  
  
"No you're right, I wouldn't" 

  
  
  
Time passed fast and eventually I noticed he had fallen asleep while I was thinking of another question, I don't blame him, it was probably late and I was sleepy too. I stopped and looked at him for a minute _is he really comfortable sleeping like that?_ He was laying across the end of the bed his legs on the ground in a sitting position, he had one hand besides his head and another on his chest with his head turned to Aesop's direction as they were talking earlier.   
  
_I guess we'll see tomorrow_ I thought and laid back letting the sleepiness take me.  
  


**~•°.•.°~~~**


	9. Chapter 9

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Aesop-_

_I guess we'll see tomorrow_ I thought and laid back letting the sleepiness take me.

**~•°.•.°~~~  
**

**..•~** **Eli POV** **~•..**

While the sun was coming in through the window I started waking up, as I rubbed the sleepiness in my eyes away I realized this wasn't my room, Brooke Rose wasn't around ether and I was still in my cloak instead of something more comfortable. _What happened?  
_

Is the first question that came to my head, then I thought back to last night 

_Did I really do all that? Since when am I so confident.  
_

I'm not really the type to do whatever they want and not be even a bit anxious, I was always judged before coming to the manor and learnt to not care about opinions but I could never be so confident with someone I met in such a short period of time, it took Naib, my best friend months to make me open up and not be nervous around him and there are still times that I'll stress over small things.  


_Whatever, I need to go find Brooke and check today's matches_.  
  
I glanced over to the silver haired boy sleeping to my left to make sure he was still sleeping and attempted to slowly get up and make my way downstairs to the dining room where a list of names for the day's matches was displayed on the table every morning.   
  
_I don't have any matches today and neither does Aesop but Naib has two of them, I'm kind of sorry for the guy he has one almost daily.  
_  
I put the list of names back on the table and went to look for Brooke Rose, I let her fly around the manor yesterday before getting Aesop to Emily but I hadn't seen her since then, perhaps she went back to my room or was somewhere else in the manor or even the garden.  
I decided to go back upstairs to my room to check and picked up my blindfold while I was there since I didn't find her there. I went down again and met Martha on my way down, we chatted for a bit but she hadn't seen her last night, I thanked her anyway and continued to make my way to the garden.   
  
Emma was as usually there watering some plants when I walked in, there where no sings of Brooke Rose in there though. 

  
  
  
"Eli!! You don't usually come in here, did Emily send you?" 

"No no I'm looking for my owl, have you seen her since last night?"

  
  


She looked skeptical for a moment before answering.

  
  
  
"I believe I saw her perching on the doorframe of the right wing of the manor, but the door was closed, I don't think she could get in."  
  
  
  
Fear immediately run through me, the right wing is where all the hunters stayed, although some hang out with us survivors as friends there are others that don't like us and would hurt us with every chance they got, if Brooke Rose had somehow gone in there I would have to go get her at all costs. 

  
  
  
"Had Jack gone in from his last match before you saw her???"  
  
"No.. He was chatting with Joseph"

  
Joseph, one of the most human looking and charming hunters yet one of the most unexpectedly dangerous, if you pissed him off you would be in big trouble the guy will get you back, and in the last match I played with him I was mostly decoding but he lost by getting only one of us because of me, I'm not sure how pissed he was after that or if he was at all. If he had found Brooke Rose he would give her back but probably not so easily. 

  
"Thank you! I'll go check!" 

  
I stormed out of the garden and into the infirmary where Wu Chang, one of the friendly hunters might have been, he would hang out with Emily from time to time. I asked Emily if he had come by today but it turned out he was in the morning match today, I could ask Michiko as well but I decided to not do that and get Kurt and William instead, Kurt is an explorer so he might be able to help locate her faster and William would basically be our defender if some hunter tried to attack us. It was risky but I have no better options.

I went to get them from their rooms upstairs and explain the situation but just when I reached the main hall that separated the survivor's left wing and the hunter's right wing I saw Aesop and Joseph.   
  
Joseph isn't really tall but he is still taller than all the survivors, he would usually be really touchy and generally charming but this was a new sight for me. He was holding Brooke Rose and had his sword lowered in his other hand, he was looking at Aesop who stood in front of him almost shaking. Joseph looked speechless and couldn't form words, that had never happened before and he would never freeze up like that.  
  
I kept hidden behind the door observing from a small crack, suddenly Joseph's sword fell from his hand and Brooke Rose flew up to stair railing and somehow noticed me, I gave her a signal and put my blindfold on, by doing that I could see from her point of view, I could see clearer Joseph had not only frozen up but he was now holding his hands over his mouth and crying.

**~•°.•.°~~~**


	10. Chapter 10

**~•°.•.°~~~**

Joseph had not only frozen up but he was now holding his hands over his mouth and crying.

**~•°.•.°~~~  
**

**..** **•~Aesop** **POV** **~•..**

I woke up the next morning to find an empty bed and an unlocked door, _Eli must have left somewhere. I should get up too._ I slowly sat up on the side of my bed yawning and decided where to go, I still didn't know anyone but the people I had played with yesterday and Eli.   
  
I stood up and changed out of that horrendous shirt, the stiches still hurt when I stretched my side a lot I'd have to get used to that for the time being, I put on a white buttoned shirt, put my hair in my signature low-ponytail and headed down stairs to the kitchen to get something to eat, this time no one was in the kitchen but there were still people in the dining room.  
  


I quickly made a sandwich after opening every cabinet in front of me and called it a meal, nothing special but good enough to not get hungry, again I ate in the small kitchen table, it was somewhat comforting and reminded you of home with the sun coming in from a window opposite to the oven filling the small room with vibrant shades of yellow and orange.  
  


I quickly finished, washed my dish and decided I'd go back to my room and find something to do in there. Walking into the main hall, the door I had went in yesterday opened and a relatively short, fair skinned man walked through it holding two things both equally catching my attention, in his right arm a sword and in his left Eli's owl. I might not have known much about Eli but he definitely wouldn't like his pet getting murdered, I gulped and walked up to the guy, he was too busy trying to get the owl to stop trying to fly away and didn't notice me until I was right in front of him making a pathetic sound like I usually do in these situations.

  
  
  
"U-umm excuse me? T-that owl, it wants to leave"

  
  


If the owl wasn't getting murdered I surely was, the man short as he was towered over me with a deadly stare that disappeared into pure dread in seconds, his sword dropped and the owl managed to escape his grip, it flew up on the railing and perched there.

  
_This is what I look like when I freeze up isn't it?  
_

  
  


_"_ T-thank you, I'll be going now.?"

  
  


  
I tried to leave and halted right when I heard a sob, I turned my head facing the white haired guy again, he was balling his eyes out with his hands over his mouth, as awkward as it was I stood there and looked at him in concern, while working as an embalmer I got used to people crying because someone dear to them died but I wasn't used to someone crying because of me, was it even my fault though? I hadn't done anything wrong as far as I knew.

  
  


"Hey.. Is everything alright?"

  
  
  
The guy still didn't speak but he stopped his crying and picked up his sword from the ground. He somehow got himself together in less than five minutes and a few breaths.

  
  
  
"I'm sorry about that little scene, I mistook you for someone else dear to me, may I ask your name?"

"Oh Aesop Carl"

"Ah pleasure to meet you Carl, you can call me Joseph. Excuse me but I'll be heading back now I have some important things to discuss so please make that seer of your people aware that he should keep that pest of his away from here if he wants it alive" 

  
  


Joseph although was bold with his words he somehow made it sound sweet and innocent, this guy despite his polite manners had a vibe around him that screamed to you to get away, yet something makes you want to stay. I couldn't say anything before he left disappearing as fast as he appeared, he was for sure quick for such a small person.   
  
I stood looking at the door surprised with how that person could fill you with so many emotions at once and do something embarrassing just to recover from it so fast. Eli snapped me out of it when he walked through the door behind me and whistled to his owl to come to him not too long after Joseph left, I turned around to face him. 

  
  
  
"Oh hi, good morning"  
  
"Morning, how are your stitches?"

"They still hurt a little, I'll get over it, do you know where I can see if I have a match today?"  
  
"There is a schedule in the dining table every morning, you don't have any today"  
  
"Ok thank you."

  
  
  
Today he was wearing his blindfold again, I'd love to look at those deep blue eyes again but that would be rude wouldn't it? I'm not sure why I wanted to see his eyes, I used to prefer the closed and lifeless eyes of the people I had to embalm instead of the ones following your every move, but his were different. 

  
"Was that Joseph just a minute ago? I heard someone talking."

  
I was still thinking about the mentioned guy and didn't really pay much attention to anything around me .

  
  


"What?"

"It wasn't? He's a little taller than us, has blue eyes, white hair in a low ponytail, polite manners"

"Oh, yes he had your owl, he told me to tell the.. Seer? to keep the owl away from that door"

  
I pointed at the door Joseph had left from, instead of thinking only of my encounter with him I had another weird name I wanted to ask about, _Seer, who's that? is there someone in here who can tell us the future if yes why would they come here if they knew they would be trapped?_

  
"That's me, I shouldn't have let Brooke fly in here.."  


He scratched the back of his head with one arm, put on an awkward smile and shifted his head away from my direction.  
  


_He.. Is the Seer?! The owl and his clothes suddenly fit in with his name, but why would he come here if he knew he'd get trapped?? Is it even real? Most fortune tellers I have met were frauds scamming people, but he is too nice to be one of those, I think._

**~•°.•.°~~~**


	11. Chapter 11

**~•°.•.°~~~**

-Aesop-

_He.. Is the Seer?! The owl and his clothes suddenly fit in with his name, but why would he come here if he knew he'd get trapped?? Is it even real? Most fortune tellers I have met were frauds scamming people, but he is too nice to be one of those, I think._

**~•°.•.°~~~**

Aesop with a disappointed look on his face pointed at Eli. 

  
"You, are the Seer? You can see the future?"

  
Eli was making an effort to not look dumb but he totally sounded like an idiot to Aesop.  
  


"Yeeep"  
  
"Why are you here then? You knew you'd be trapped"  
  
"I didn't-"  
  
Eli got cut off before finishing his sentence by a slightly annoyed boy   
  
"So you're a fraud then?"  
  
"No- I couldn't- It's complicated."

  
  
Aesop although slightly angry wouldn't let him off so easily, in his mind scammers were pathetic and Eli sure didn't seem to be any different that the other fortune tellers he had met before and the idea of one of them actually tricked him to believing they were nice and that they could maybe be his friend made him more and more angry.

  
  
"Complicated?"

The other male sighed before answering   
  
"I can explain, but lets at least go upstairs I need to feed Brooke."  
  


A little skeptical Aesop followed him upstairs into his room and stood by the door while Eli got food for Brooke and set it on the desk near the door. Their rooms were almost identical with small differences, probably because Eli had moved the furniture around. After leaving Brooke to eat on the desk Eli sat on the side of his bed and started explaining with a sour tone to his voice.

  
  
"I do have visions of the future, I can't control them and they aren't long enough to make a business out of them, well couldn't. After many tries I summoned a druid and formed an oath with them but I broke it and lost my ability to see the future as punishment, the druid then finally talked to me again and told me to accept the invitation I got for this place, my visions never fully returned, they are back to what they were before summoning the druid and that's it"  
  


Eli looked up to Aesop meeting his gaze, he was surprised, but still a bit unconvinced or in doubt.

  
  
"That sounds tough."

"The day you arrived I had a vision someone was coming, I guess Naib had caught on when he found me looking out the window all day"  
  
"You didn't tell him?"  
  
"No that's how I broke the oath so I avoid telling anyone"  
  
"Oh.. Sorry"  
  


Although Aesop was still a tiny little bit suspicious he believed him, or else why would his name here be 'Seer' and not something else? He didn't sound like he was lying ether with how he didn't have any pauses while talking and didn't look away, if he could see at all with that blindfold nor did he fidget around.  
  
The owl on the desk finished eating and was grooming itself for a bit, then it flew to Eli's shoulder while he stood up. He shooed Aesop out of the room for a little while handing him Brooke for who knows why.  
  
While Aesop was sitting on the floor right outside of Eli's room with Brooke on his arm looking at her in his confusion of why he got thrown out or whether there were actual Seers around or not, He pet the owl thinking to himself, he glanced at its one eye which was blue like Eli's eyes, beautiful yet somehow the male's eyes were more stunning than an animal's they looked almost magical.   
  
Cutting Aesop's day dreaming off the door flung open scarring him up to his feet. The owl previously on his arm was once again on Eli's shoulder but this time when he looked to face Eli he didn't see a man in a heavy dark navy blue cloak and a hood but a stunning young man in casual clothing, a black shirt with blue jeans and a black hoodie. Although he was still wearing his blindfold and he had his hood on he still looked handsome despite having a not so out of the ordinary body build, yet he somehow looked so attractive. Aesop took just one look at him and noticed that fact, his face didn't bother to hide it ether a it turned a shade brighter without him realizing.  
  
  
He quickly turned away but had to look back at him when he started talking   
  
  
"How about we go to watch how Naib's match is going? it should be half done but we can go to the library after?" 

"We can inspect a match?"   
  
"Yeah, follow me!"  
  


That slightly excited smile on Eli's face was back as well as his signature move of grabbing Aesop's hand and dragging him to places.

**~•°.•.°~~~**


	12. Chapter 12

**~•°.•.°~~~**

That slightly excited smile on Eli's face was back as well as his signature move of grabbing Aesop's hand and dragging him to places.

**~•°.•.°~~~**

Eli dragged Aesop up to a third floor then down a hall and into a dark room with only some light beams coming from some curtains that hadn't been closed properly although most light was coming from a projector on a table with nine chairs and some lit candles on it. Other than the table there were three armchairs in the room, one a bit in front the table but against a wall so the people on the table could see and the other two were close to the windows making it a little hard for whoever sat on them to watch the projection of the match on the screen.  
  
  
  
  
  
 **..•~Aesop POV~•..**

  
Eli dragged me to the table and made me sit down then took another chair and pretty much glued it next to mine leaving only a small gap, the few people sitting around didn't question him and watched the projection on the wall behind us with concentration. We were sitting opposite to that wall so we had to sit backwards in our chairs since we didn't turn them around.   
  


I looked over to the wall and started observing the match, I didn't know whose perspective we had but I guessed it was the hunters as we could see higher than the survivors, assuming that, the hunter should have been chasing a petite girl in orange clothing and a protective hat with googles on it, she was limping and the hunter soon caught up and she fell down to the floor, a rope with balloons quickly wrapped around her waist and lifted her to the air, after a bit of walking the hunter untied her and slammed her on a worn up red, wooden chair with what looked like fireworks tied to it.   
  
  
After the hunter put a rope around her preventing her from getting up something I couldn't identify flung across the projection and untied the girl, suddenly we could see Naib running behind the girl in the orange clothing.  
  
  
When the hunter slowly but surely caught up to Naib and hit him with a rock hard shark plushy I felt something plopping onto my left shoulder, I looked over without moving to see Eli sitting cross legged on his chair laying his head on my shoulder with a pout still watching the match, the owl on his left shoulder was watching the match as well for some reason.   
  


As startled as I got I didn't comment on his action and continued watching the match in silence.  
  
  
The match soon came to an end with two people leaving leaving Naib and a girl who previously had a perfume bottle behind securing a tie for them, the girl had been eliminated before Naib and had just some scrapes and small bruises on her knees and arms but Naib had oh so many bruises, scratches and scrapes almost everywhere, he was getting hit every minute and somehow would push through for a third hit while most could take only two, he would surely have to go to the infirmary when he got back this time.   
  


The screen went black and a beep sound signaled the end of the projection, just a few moments before the beep started I looked over to Eli as I knew I would have to get him off of me if I wanted to leave but I wouldn't have to, in my surprise when the beep sound started Eli flung backwards hitting his head on the table and falling down from the chair into the gap behind him to the floor.

"Oouch.."  
  


He started rubbing the back of his head and people started looking at him a few asking if he's alright and others laughing, all he would do was laugh it off although that must have hurt, he wasn't even getting up.   
  
All I did was stare at him, I honestly got scarred when he fell and stopped processing things, I was confused, afraid and shocked all at once, the chair Eli was sitting on had fallen to the ground just in front of him, he was lucky it didn't fall on top of him.   
  


As I was sitting there like a stone statue, doing absolutely nothing people started leaving the room and some sly smart ass decided it would be a good idea to try and get me scarred when they came behind and put me in a lose headlock and held a machete to my neck, just to whisper a stupid line that didn't match what had happened.  
  
"Damn missed the party here? You should have called me before getting my best teammate to the floor"  
  
I closed my eyes not bothered too much from the headlock of the weapon to my neck, whoever it was sounded familiar but I couldn't make out who it was, I hadn't been in the manor long enough to recognize them.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**

_**P.S I am trying to convey some ingame things as well as victorian era stuff like their traits and deductions, the projector instead of a TV in the book, in the last part I tried to put Aesop's unconcerned trait in play. (don't ask about how the projection is live there was nothing else I could use :'D)** _


	13. Chapter 13

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Aesop-_

I closed my eyes not bothered too much from the headlock of the weapon to my neck, whoever it was sounded familiar but I couldn't make out who it was, I hadn't been in the manor long enough to recognize them.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~  
  
  
**

**..** **•~Aesop POV~** **•..**

I slowly opened my eyes, my gaze met Eli's unamused face on the floor just where it was when I closed them, I could tell he wasn't looking at me but at whoever was behind me, he wasn't worried so I guess this was no big deal or he didn't care if I died or not, _I don't blame him_.  
  
  
"Naib leave him alone, I wouldn't have fallen if your match wasn't boring enough to put me to sleep."

  
  
 _So that's why he fell down._ I didn't have much time to think before as I understood the guy behind me, aka Naib tightened his grip around my throat, maybe Eli's comment irritated him a bit too much? whether it did or not I was paying for it.  
  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BORING?? DID YOU WATCH THOSE RESCUES???"  
  
"You mean the one you wasted your elbow pad on when saving Tracy?"  
  
"That- That was essential-"  
  
"Oh was it? You would have escaped if you hadn't used it though"

  
  
Naib's grip was getting tighter and tighter and breathing got more difficult but Eli was having the time of his life teasing him barely holding his laugh back behind that grin of his  
  


"OK! fine that was a mistake! The match was still better than your hilarious fails against Bane"  
  
"That was in the past"  
  
  
Eli took some time to reply and even when he did he looked away, perhaps he was embarrassed when he decided he had enough of observing the dust on the floor.

  
  
"Can I go.."  
  
"Whatever you say bud"  
  
  
I tried to talk but I was too quite and Naib just ignored me, after answering Eli he stopped choking me and loosened his arm leaving it to rest around my shoulder then attempted to drag me away towards the door but he didn't open it to leave.   
  
  
"Where were you last night Clark? Brooke was flying loose and I couldn't find you in your room"  
  
"Oh ho ho wouldn't you like to know mom?"  
  
"You could have gotten in some serious trouble smart ass! She was heading towards the hunter's territory!"  
  
  
This time Naib decided to grab the back of my neck and push me down to a bowing position and raise his machete like he was going to slaughter me.

  
  
"Yeah yeah, I know, I was helping your new doll, seriously, Aesop, you should get away from him"  
  
"You think I'm not trying to???" 

  
  
I was really trying to get away but this guy might have been shorter than me but he was a whole lot more powerful than me.   
  
  
"Oh sorry"  
  
  
He finally let go of me and I started rubbing my neck backing away from him, he had left a red mark around it and it hurt. As much as I wanted to choke him instead of the opposite I only glared at him from afar.

  
  
"Eli you still have explaining to do-"  
  
"I know, let's get you to Emily first, there is no match you don't get hurt in, I'll explain on the way"  
  
"fine"  
  
  


They started leaving to the infirmary while I stood in a corner near the door observing them, I wasn't going to follow, I knew I wasn't part of their group and that Eli just hang out with me when Naib wasn't around, he probably had nothing better to do. They left the room and I stayed in there looking at the curtains peacefully.   
  
Just a few minutes after they left the door snapped open and Naib dragged me by the shirt again, it was becoming a really bad habit of those two.

"Who told you you are staying behind? come on, you're coming with us"  
  
  
I wasn't sure how to reply so I didn't, I wasn't really sure why he wanted me to come with ether but I at least wanted to feel less threatened and somehow managed to escape his grip, I fixed my shirt and started following him down the stairs where Eli was waiting, we then went to the infirmary while the two guys talked about where Eli was last night.   
  
Emily was yelling at Naib to be more careful while we waited outside but the closed door didn't make the yelling any less quite. About twenty minutes later a bandaged and slightly frightened Naib came back to us, it didn't look like he liked his visits to Emily that much judging from how he looked like a scolded puppy.  
  
  
  
"Already yelled at and you have another match in some hours too"  
  
"Lucky mee.. you two are free?"   
  
"Yep"  
  
"Wanna go watch movie tonight then? We can make that coffin boy's little celebration, I can bring a surprise as well"  
  
"Don't call me that, and as I said no, I don't like celebrations"  
  
"What about just a movie then?"

  
  
With that answer I knew at least one of them was listening to what I was saying though the wide grin on Naib's face screamed he wasn't going to give up.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**


	14. Chapter 14

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Aesop-_

With that answer I knew at least one of them was listening to what I was saying though the wide grin on Naib's face screamed he wasn't going to give up.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**

**..•~Aesop POV** **~•..  
**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
No one was answering Eli, instead we all looked at each other then nodded and decided we would just go the library in the time being, Naib had a match in about two to three hours so we didn't have that many options.  
  


We went back to the third floor and walked down the same corridor we did to get to the spectating room, we passed the spectating room continuing to walk passing another 2 doors and finally entered the library.   
  
  
It was a relatively big room with a small set of stairs leading to a raised area with even more books. There weren't any windows in there but there was a big chandelier hanging from the ceiling unfortunately it was broken but there were many candles around on both the tables and the bookcases themselves. there were tables with chairs in the room but there was also a sofa and two more comfy looking armchairs, one close to the door and another close to the big bookcase on the raised area.

  
Eli and Naib both took a book and sat on the chairs around the wooden table while I was looking around for something interesting, I came across many fairy tales and generally fiction but I wasn't interested in them, I took a candle to take a look on the lower shelves in case there was anything good but I only found some books about the manor's layout and blueprints so I put them back, I went on the other side of the bookcase and found some medical books that looked ok so I picked one talking about muscles and sat in the armchair close to me taking along my candle and the medical book.   
  
  
Hours passed by and no one spoke, I looked to the others in the table to find Naib had given up on his book and instead was rubbing his machete carefully with some cloth while Eli sitting peacefully on the other side of the table resting his head in one of his arms looking kinda cute starring into his book with his blindfold on. _Wtf is he doing.. There is no way he can see through the blindfold with this kind of lighting.  
  
_

Just a few minutes after looking at him trying to understand wtf he was doing the owl on his shoulder that was previously looking at the book darted its on me, even though it had a crystal clear blue eye the lighting made it look like some other animals eye, I flinched and turned back to my book ignoring the bird that was looking at me from across the room.  
  
  
"What you looking at?"  
  
  
Said Naib for once being quiet, I believe he noticed Brooke Rose move and asked her though he wasn't going to get an answer but then instead of the room going back to its quiet state Eli spoke up making me even more confused, he hadn't moved at all all this time yet for some reason he answered him.  
  
  
"Nothing"   
  
  
After that the owl kept starring at me for a good minute before it went back to looking at the book. We spent another hour in the library in silence when Naib stood up catching our attention.  
  
  
"Going to the match?"  
  
"Yeah, I think it's going to start soon, I'll find you later"  
  
"Ok"  
  
  
I observed him walking down the small patch of stairs and out the door, then took a glance at Eli, he wasn't getting up so I guessed we were going to stay here. A few minutes went by and I noticed Eli's owl was once again looking at me, this time I stared back and it stopped.  
  
  
A few moments later it decided it wanted to stare into my book instead and flew over to me, I looked over to Eli questioning if it could read or something because this was definitely not normal for any animal, he had laid his head on the table and put his arms around like he was going back to sleep.  
  
  
  
"Um Eli?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What's up with your owl today?"  
  
"I think she took a liking to you after you helped her out today with Joseph and all"  
  
  
  
The owl didn't flinch from the book and I didn't ask more, I just kept on reading like nothing was odd about this. She kept on starring into the pages, at this point I was convinced she could read but why would it want to read about muscle damage and treatments?   
  
More and more time passed and I was tired of this book but I didn't want to draw attention to myself by standing up to get another one, fortunately I didn't have to since Eli decided to do so instead.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**


	15. Chapter 15

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Aesop-_

More and more time passed and I was tired of this book but I didn't want to draw attention to myself by standing up to get another one, fortunately I didn't have to since Eli decided to do so instead.

**~•°.•.°~~~**

.. **•~Aesop POV~** **•..  
  
  
**

  
  
As Eli stood up and put his book away I did the same. Walking out of the library I noticed Eli was being a bit unenergetic in comparison to the past days, I kept my eye on him but I didn't say anything, I didn't think it was ok for me to ask about his mental state yet.  
  
I followed Eli to another spectating room which was empty, we sat in the chairs at the table this time sitting properly and watched the match in silence, communication isn't my strong point like most things but small talk was so difficult for me to start, especially when I don't know much about the other person.

  
About an hour went by and the survivors managed to escape a man with an umbrella and long hair, all that time not a single word had been spoken in the room we were sitting in. When the beeping sound sounded once again Eli sat up so I did too, I don't know if he was wishing I'd stop following him or not but I followed him down stairs where we met Naib, this time not injured. 

  
He looked tired but he still asked about the movie we were talking about before we went to the library, he really wasn't giving up on it even after all the running he had to do. We decided to ditch on him getting checked up by Emily since he was alright and to watch an action film due to our not many choices, all we had apparently was horror films, lice of life, mystery, action and some other random genres.

  
Naib guided us to a new room in the ground floor past the kitchen and the dining room, we entered a small room with many pillows and two couches on either side of the room, there was a projector right next to the door we entered from and a large bookcase filled with cassettes. I sat down on the couch to the right while Eli decided the floor near the couch I was on was more comfortable and Naib picked a tape and put it to play.   
  
  
The film started playing and Naib took a seat on the couch opposite to me. The time passed by quickly, everyone's eyes were glued to the film with some small comments even Eli's mood lifted up with the movie, not because it was good but because it was way too bad to not laugh at. Soon enough it ended and the screen turned black, I looked around the room at the other two who were both sleeping, one ready to fall off the couch and one already on the floor leaning on the couch I was on with a blanket he stole from the other couch around him to keep him warm and cozy.  
  
  
Since no one else could I stood up to turn the projector off and wondered whether I should wake them up or if it would be ok to let them sleep there, I had some more time to think about it while heading to the kitchen to get a glass of water and go back. I noticed the silence in the dining room, no one was there and I kind of preferred it that way, there was no reason to get anxious or a way to get a headache, it also gave me a moment to take in all the small details on the furniture and walls the manor was made with a lot of effort judging from all the small details on pillars and doors.   
  
  
Once I took my glass of water I returned to the projector room, the first thing I noticed while walking in was the man who had now fallen off the couch yet still stayed asleep _that's a talent right there  
_  
Then I noticed that Brooke rose was tugging on Eli's blindfold and in a few seconds took it off of his face and left it to hung around his neck before flying off from an open window in the dining room. I left the door open just in case she wanted to get back in while we were sleeping and laid on the couch I was previously on, slowly falling asleep.  
  


**~•°.•.°~~~**


	16. Chapter 16

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Aesop-_

I left the door open just in case she wanted to get back in while we were sleeping and laid on the couch I was previously on, slowly falling asleep.

**~•°.•.°~~~**

**..•~Aesop POV** **~•..  
**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
When we woke up in the morning, pretty much ten minutes apart each me being the second to wake up I noticed that I had a random blanket on me that I definitely did not have last night and so did Naib, then I noticed that Eli had his blindfold back on and an owl on his hand, I figured he was the first one to wake up and was being nice once again, which I really appreciated.   
  
  
The next year passed that exact same way, going to matches, spectating and staying up late, the three of us and the survivor that came after me, Norton Campbell pretty much would always stick together, for once it is like I have friends, but then again I noticed I would still want to hang out with Eli more than the others, I don't have something against them but they can get too loud for me. I have somehow never played a match with Eli in it, not a proper one at least, every time we would be in the same team one of us would die before the first cipher was even decoded so today, after a whole year with so many new people around we decided we will do whatever it will take to have a proper match together even if it means we will get a loss, we both want to at least once.  
  
  
  
The now familiar sight of the room going black was upon me, the match was starting, we all, me, Eli, Kurt and the newest one of the four in our team Andrew shortly woke up in eversleeping town, this map would work in our favor.   
  
  
I found myself waking up on a wooden floor meaning I was in the second floor of one of the two unlocked houses, the perfect spot to set my coffin, I closed my eyes to find Eli, I would need to go find him and record his appearance if I wanted to use my coffin on him. The one closest to me was Andrew and the furthest away was Kurt meaning Eli wasn't that far I opened my eyes and quickly set my coffin on the second floor just in case I'd end up being the one kiting.  
  
  
I stormed down the stairs meeting Brooke who was circling around me, I never got to know how Eli's ability worked but this wasn't the time to ask, the owl circling me soon flew off and I followed it, if Eli was in the middle of the map that meant I who was on the edge was the last one his owl found and it was returning to it's owner.   
  
Running behind the owl with eyes glued to it I didn't notice Andrew decoding a cipher on my right and didn't get the chance to record him, although my main priority was indeed to find Eli, Andrew was our rescuer and played a very important role in our matches, despite seeing him from the corner of my eyes on the last second while turning a corner I decided I would record him while going back to the cipher near my coffin.  
  
Soon enough I found Eli, in his case I would have to remove his blindfold to record his appearance or else I wouldn't be able to embalm him right, something I was very excited about even though a whole year had passed I rarely got to see his mesmerizing deep blue eyes.  
  
  
  
"Aesop! the hunter is Violetta near the graveyard don't go there"  
  
  
  
I nodded and quickly undid the knot he would tie his blindfold in, I had done this only once and I thought I would have a heart attack back then, I still did, the hunter wasn't near us but my heart was still pounding as fast is if they were if not faster. When taking of the blindfold instead of taking my hands off his face I brushed them on his cheeks and rested them there, I was filled with anxiety and wasn't sure why I was acting weird but I couldn't take my hands off his face or stop my heart from hammering against my chest.   
  
He opened his eyes letting me take a good look before he inspected my condition, he glanced at my hands then to my face with curiosity but not comments, I knew my face was definitely red but I was lucky to be wearing a mask to cover it all up, I recorded his appearance and snapped out of touching his cheeks, I tied his blindfold back on, cursing myself on the inside, I knew the anxiety of playing a match with him was getting to me after all, we had never made it past one cipher together. 

  
  
"I'm going to be in the house in this direction, Andrew is also in that direction"  
  
  


I pointed to his left picking my make up kit up, I was expecting him to turn back to his cipher and continue decoding but he didn't, he nodded when I spoke and didn't turn back to his cipher but was curiously looking at me.

  
**~•°.•.°~~~**


	17. Chapter 17

**~•°.•.°~~~  
**   
_-Aesop-_

He nodded when I spoke but didn't turn back to his cipher and was curiously looking at me.

**~•°.•.°~~~  
  
**

**..** **•** **~Aesop POV~** **•..  
  
**

  
  


I stayed crouched a bit longer feeling his gaze on me, I knew I was still a mess and out of my head from all the anxiety of the things that could go wrong in this match, I could tell he was too but not as much as me, he looked more determinant than anxious. 

I sighed trying to calm down a bit then stood up straight, I was going to leave but Eli grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him then put his other hand over my mouth, I don't know what was up but he wanted me to be quiet as he proceeded to drug me behind some barrels and making me crouch while still holding me close, it was then that I realized why he made me hide, the hunter was near, I couldn't see but he probably could with his ability, since I was not behaving normally he must have decided that this was an easier way to make me follow him.

Though it was easier for him it got a whole more difficult for me to keep calm, since the first few days I had stepped into the manor I had that feeling of my chest tightening, my stomach twisting and my heartbeat getting faster whenever he touched me but it was a whole less noticeable back then, now it had grown significantly to a scary point of getting close to feinting.  
  
He pulled me closer and hid his head into my shoulder, I could feel his breath against my skin and his grip getting tighter as his and my heartbeat's got faster then slowly went back to normal when the hunter decided she wouldn't waste time trying to find us, well as normal as they could be. Eli decided that it was okay to talk now after checking the area again.  
  
  
  
"Aesop, I think you should calm down, you are shaking like a leaf and your breathing is uneven, I don't want you passing out"  
  
"I.. I'm alright, just stressed"  
  
"Stay close until you calm down so I can cover for you if Violetta comes back"  
  
"You don't have to I can do it"  
  
"Still, stay close, please"  
  
  
  
He had pulled away from my back and we were still crouching looking at each other, he had a worrisome smile on his face while I had anxiety written all over mine. I didn't want him to lose in my place and I knew he would if he had the chance, as much as I wanted to take his offer I stood up and brushed the dirt off my clothes and he soon did the same.

  
  
"I'll be fine, I can do it"  
  
  
He took a moment to inspect me again before answering, I was looking a little calmer and my breathing was returning to normal now that I wasn't as close to him as a moment ago.  
  
  
  
"If you need cover just call me"   
  
  
Not saying another word he stood up and went back to his cipher while I run back to the one near my coffin when I reached it we had already finished one and Eli's was half done while Andrew was kiting, I still hadn't recorded his appearance and that would be a problem later on if Violetta was going to camp.  
  
  
I quickly did my cipher and then went over to the one Andrew was working on to finish it, Kurt had the last ciphers since Eli started doing another one as soon as he finished. _This is going well, we might make it,_ Andrew would be able to bare just one more hit since Eli had already helped him out with his owl and he had gotten hit once.  
  
A few minutes later Andrew got spooked from the sound the cipher I was doing made when it was finished decoding and lost his concentration resulting in him getting downed. We didn't know where Kurt was but we assumed he was waiting for us to go rescue so he can apply his scones. Eli wasn't done yet so I went ahead of him to try and reach Andrew before we ran out of time.  
  
Soon enough I reached Andrew's chair, the fact he was in a chair instead of a web meant the hunter might have been saving up webs for the end game. I unchaired him as soon as a cipher was done, but it wasn't Eli's. Kurt had started running after he yelled the hunter was near him and applied his scones early, he might not have gotten the chance later.   
  
  
  
"Should we wait at the exits until the cipher rush??"  
  
"Probably, let me bandage you up first just in case Violetta changes her mind"  
  
  
  
He didn't have that serious of an injury but his leg would hurt for the next two to three days if left untreated, _He's getting sent to see Emily after this._ After bandaging his leg we nodded to each other and run off in opposite directions, I ran to the gate near an old worn up school building and he ran into the town heading to the other side where the second exit was located.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**


	18. Chapter 18

**Did I mess up with the map layout? yes sir I did!**

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Aesop-_

After bandaging his leg we nodded to each other and run off in opposite directions, I ran to the gate near an old worn up school building and he ran into the town heading to the other side where the second exit was located.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**

  
**..•~Aesop POV~** **•..**   
  


We both waited at the exits for more than we usually did, I thought Kurt was kiting Violetta somewhere in the town but Kurt suddenly came running to the exit after the cipher Eli was doing got popped. The cipher was far away so Kurt was definitely not the one to finish it but Violetta wasn't following him either.   
  
  
  
"Where's the hunter?"  
  
"She lost me and went after someone else a while ago"  
  
"...Open the gate I need to do something"  
  
  
  
If that was the case then Eli was the one kiting all this time without even his ability, him getting left behind was not an option, I needed to embalm him. Hunters usually avoided chairing people who had a coffin and would sometimes even change target because of it and that was what I was betting on. 

I ran up the stairs to the second floor to quickly try and embalm him, just as I started Eli fell down with one hit meaning he ether got terror shocked or the hunter had detention _crap. I need to hurry._ As long as I made an exact replica of the person's face the coffin would work and would allow them to spawn in it when they got chaired, almost like they teleported from on place to another, despite that embalming someone perfectly took quite some time even for the best embalmers out there and unfortunately I didn't finish in time and Eli got chaired near the exit I was at a minute ago.   
  


Kurt was more experienced in this game than us and would say that leaving when the gate opens is the safest option even when others are left behind, although, he didn't follow it that much as he often stayed behind to help out the ones who where chaired last minute.  
  
Andrew was still not sure what he should be doing but was picking things up fast and after receiving the same advice from many people he started leaving as soon as the exit opened.  
Meanwhile I would almost never stay behind for anyone but this time I had to keep my promise, we both needed to escape.  
  
I ran as fast as my legs would allow me to Eli's chair, the hunter was there her eyes weren't glowing red, she didn't have detention this could go well. I untied him as the hunter was looking at us waiting so she could down Eli and get him out of the game faster, I hadn't gotten any hits and I normally wouldn't do this for anyone's sake but this wasn't anyone. I pushed Eli in front of me and ran behind him baring a hit in his place.   
  
The back of my knee hurt like hell when Violetta smashed it with her metal leg and it even ripped the fabric of my pants, meaning it had also teared through my skin, I pushed Eli to go faster and before we knew it the exit gate Kurt was waiting for us at was in our vision but the hunter was still behind us slowly catching up.  
  
I felt some kind of ball hit against my back and stick to it making me run a little slower.   
  
The hunter soon closed the gap and we were right outside of the gate Kurt tried to take a hit for me but failed, I got flung over the barrier the hunter could no longer chase us after and Eli drugged Kurt off the ground and out the gate.  
  
We made it out, safe and sound, the only problem was that I was on the floor unable to stand. Violetta hit lower than most hunters, instead or targeting our shoulders or upper body she would go for the legs as it was more convenient for her. It wouldn't make a big difference but it sure made it harder for us to run without wobbling around for a couple of minutes while after getting hit in the same spot many times could very easily make us unable to use that leg properly due to the spiking pain when we would put weight onto it. This was one of those times.  
  
Violetta hit the same spot behind my right knee she did a couple of minutes ago. It was a bad cut and bleeding quite a bit.  
  
  
  
"Aesop can you stand???"  
  
  
  
Kurt asked with a concerned voice, I looked over from Eli who collapsed on the floor right after we made it out to my bleeding leg, I didn't even try to stand the answer was very clear from the pain starting to swarm the area.

  
"No, but we got out, it's alright."  
  
"Wait let me help you. Eli? are you ok?"  
  
  
  
  
Kurt made his way closer to me then turned to face Eli again when he noticed he wasn't moving.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**


	19. Chapter 19

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Aesop-_

Kurt made his way closer to me then turned to face Eli again when he noticed he wasn't moving.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**

**..•~Aesop POV~** **•..**

Without getting an answer Andrew who just arrived walked closer to him and flipped him over to his back, he wasn't giving us any signs of consciousness but he was breathing as far as I could see. 

Kurt quickly bandaged my leg making it a bit easier for me to crawl around. I went to Eli's side besides Andrew and had to bite my tongue to stop myself from thinking the worst, I might not be a doctor but if there is anyone in the manor with any medical knowledge it would be me, though the things I did know how to do were surgeries, something pretty useless for this situation.   
  
I decided that I should see if he was even awake or not before splashing water on him from the nearby lake, I didn't know what else to do in this scenario. I once again untied his blindfold with my heart running marathon's, the match was over but I was more anxious than before when we could have not made it out, was it because he might have been unconscious or something more?  
  
I took his blindfold off and held it in my hand, then tied it around my wrist so I wouldn't lose it, his eyes were closed, his owl was sitting close by in a state similar to her owner's. I told Kurt to try and wake her up but she woke up before he could touch her, and just like she did, did Eli.   
  
  
  
  
"Eli!? What happened?"   
  
"Are you hurt?! Do you need water??"  
  
  
  
  
We were all panicking but he only glanced at us with no emotion then after a few moments of staring into the sky he put his hands over his face turned to his side facing me and Andrew and started crying so quietly if you weren't paying attention to him you wouldn't notice at all.

He wasn't hurt and wouldn't speak to any of us, when he got up and Kurt lifted me with the help of Andrew he stayed behind us. Andrew was a Grave keeper and he could lift heavy weights but he was hurt, when Kurt asked Eli to switch with him after about twenty minutes he only looked up and silently agreed without any words. When I looked up to his face to my right he looked really hurt and sad like he had given up on everything after waking up.  
  
  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
  
  
I thought that if some time had passed maybe he would answer  
  
  
  
  
"What?. yeah I'm.. I'm fine"  
  
"You don't look fine"  
  
"It's nothing.. Oh hey we finally had a proper match together"  
  
  
  
  
If I knew this would happen if we had a good match together I would have stayed back, he was definitely trying to change the subject and look ok with a really fake smile on his face while his voice kept on breaking and lacking emotion, for some reason I had the same emotion he did. I was sad seeing him sad but why did his mood change so suddenly? we got out and yes we were hurt but it could have gone way worse.  
  
  
  
"Yeah. I bet Naib will want to throw a party again"

  


That sentence somehow made him smile like he usual did, then turn into a way more depressed expression.

  
  
  
"I guess he will"  
  
"If he is I'm not skipping it, and neither are you Andrew"  
  
"I'm not?? But people-"  
  
"If I don't drug you to the party I'm sure I can count on Luca and Victor, there's no way around it"

  
  
Kurt joined in on the conversation before I could answer Eli but maybe a party was not a bad idea this time, I didn't have all the attention anymore and maybe that would lift Eli's mood.  
  
  
  
After another fifteen minutes of drugging ourselves back to the manor with minimum conversation we finally reached the manor with Emily waiting at the gate, as I saw her I remembered I'd have to somehow explain to Naib why Eli was being so depressed or I'd definitely be tortured by that guy. We went inside and Kurt left me in the infirmary with Andrew while Eli followed along for no apparent reason, he didn't look like he noticed that much where he was going and just followed.   
  
Emily came in and quickly did all she had to do before she shooed us out with instructions to stay in bed for today and not go to any matches tomorrow as for Kurt he was alright and Eli had some scratches here and there, his heavy clothing would sometimes come in handy.  
  
I stopped by the kitchen to get some food and then went up to my room, the others had left me alone but Eli was still following me like a lost puppy. I didn't really mind so I let him in my room and went to take a shower before sitting down to eat, we had ran a lot and sweat like crazy.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**


	20. Chapter 20

**~•°.•.°~~~**

_-Aesop-_

The others had left me alone but Eli was still following me like a lost puppy. I didn't really mind so I let him in my room and went to take a shower before sitting down to eat.  
  
 **~•°.•.°~~~**

**..•~Eli POV~** **•..**

  
  
After having that vision after the match I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore. The person I gave everything for is going to be forced into marriage with someone way wealthier than me and I can't do anything about it. _What am I even supposed to do now? I don't have a reason to try and get out of this place or try to do anything. I guess this is my real punishment for breaking the oath._  
  


The thought of losing the only person I had in the real world where I was labeled a freak was devastating, yet it was really happening and I couldn't talk about it or prevent it in any way until it had been done. _If I did, would the others leave somehow too? this oath is a cruel thing.  
_  
I don't know who I followed but this is not my room, the furniture is all in its original spot and there it's way too clean and tidy to be mine or Naib's, _I must be in Aesop's room._ People named him the loner because he would avoid everyone and lock himself in his room, _does that mean I should leave? but we won, Naib and Norton are totally throwing some kind of party out there, plus this bed is way to comfortable to just leave, roses sure smell nice.  
  
_

The bathroom door soon opened revealing the silver haired boy in a buttoned up T-shirt, skinny black pants and a towel on his head to dry his hair off, he soon looked over to me where I had plopped on his bed with my hood covering half my face and a yellow rose I found on the bedside table twirling around in my hand.  
  
  
  
"Do you like roses?"  
  
"They are nice"

Gertrude would bring flowers over whenever she came to visit and would often times bring white roses along with margaritas and yellow lilies. I would always put them in a vase and place them on the kitchen table where I could always see them and think of her.  
  
  
  
"So.."  
  
  
  
The silver haired boy looked like he was going to say something when he ran back in the bathroom and returned with a blue cloth in his hand.  
  
  
  
"I forgot to give this back to you"  
  
"Oh.. thanks"  
  
  
  
I hadn't noticed until now that I wasn't wearing my blindfold but I didn't really want to wear it right now either so I tied it around my wrist instead.  
  
  
  
"Before we get dragged out of here you should have a shower, I can bring you food too if you want"  
  
  
  
Aesop offering to go somewhere crowded was something really rare but I appreciated it a lot, I could he was trying to make me feel a bit better and not ask what happened back there, I don't know if I would be able to hold back my tears if I thought about what I saw back there.  
  
  
  
"It's alright I'll go, thank you for having me."  
  
"No stay. I will go."  
  
"But your food-"  
  
"It's fine, go get a shower and rest"  
  
  
  
That was an attitude that only people who pissed him off would see, although that didn't really sound like he was trying to warn me or angry? That was strange but appreciated either way. Before Aesop left the room he left out a towel for me and said he'd go get me a change of clothes as well, something about this felt comforting. I took the towel and went to the shower, I was lucky to not be covered in wounds today.  
  
While I let water run on my face I heard the door of the bedroom click and Naib talking, I couldn't make out what he was saying but I guessed it was for whatever he and Norton where planning to do, _can they really have it all ready in such a short time?? give me a break I need to get my crap together._  
  
I soon got out of the shower and tied the towel around my waist after drying off, it was silent, I opened the door to find some neatly folded clothes were waiting for me right outside, I looked around the room, it was empty, neither Naib or Aesop were here making m wonder what the voices from before were about.   
  
I retreated back in the bathroom and started getting dressed into a dark hoodie and a pair of black jeans. Once I went back out I was met with a slightly annoyed looking Aesop smacking the door behind him closed while holding a plate of rice in his right hand.

"Oh hey, I got you food but I couldn't find anything but rice, Mike said that a group of people pasted by the kitchen and took all the onion rings I got from earlier. You can have mine."

"No it's alright, thank you, rice is fine."

The silver haired boy raised his gaze to meet mine before silently agreeing and giving me the rice, I was curious why he looked annoyed earlier, running out of a food never had bothered him before. 

**~•°.•.°~~~**

**Author's Note:**

> -find the author also on: Instagram, Twitter, Youtube & Wattpad under the same name-


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